Weekly School Nutrition Newsletter

Indiana Department of Education sent this bulletin at 12/06/2018 02:38 PM EST

12/06/2018

Dear Food Service Contact,

This email provides news for schools concerning the Child Nutrition Programs from USDA and the state. If you are the food service contact for your school or corporation, it is your responsibility to relay important information provided to you about the Child Nutrition Programs to other staff members.

Reminder! Verification Summary Report

  • Don't forget! The Verification Summary Report (VSR) is due Saturday, December 15. 
  • Reminders:
    • If the total number of enrolled students reported in Section 1 is inaccurate, sponsors will need to revise the student eligibility information in the October claim for reimbursement.
    • Boxes that are grey, not white, will be automatically filled once the VSR is submitted. This includes T1 and T2 and the mandated size of verification sample boxes.
    • For sponsors that verified additional applications for cause (before November 15), those will be reported in 6-1, and the results of those applications need to be included in section 5 with the normal verification results.
    • Be sure to save any information you plugged into your report by scrolling to the bottom and clicking "Submit". Once the report is submitted, you can click "Edit" in order to continue working on the form.
  • Check out VSR instructions, a VSR Fact Sheet, and a VSR blank worksheet here.
  • Questions about verification or the Verification Summary Report? Contact Allie Caito-Sipe at acaito@doe.in.gov or 317-232-0849.

Calendar of Due Dates

  • The calendar of due dates has been updated!
  • The amount of years to retain documents has been added as a new column.
  • Some new due dates have been added as well!
  • Click here to access the new calendar.

Breakfast and Lunch On-Site Reviews

  • Sponsors with more than one site (building) are required to conduct on-site reviews every year.
  • Single site sponsors (those with only one building) are highly encouraged to conduct an annual on-site review to ensure integrity and accountability of the Child Nutrition Programs.
  • While a review must be conducted for every site at lunch, only 50% of the breakfast sites must be reviewed in a year. In the following year, the other 50% of breakfast sites must be reviewed.
  • The review should be conducted by a person who does not regularly work in the reviewed building.
  • The reviewer should stay for the entire meal service and make notes of their observations during the meal service. The reviewer may not conduct two or more lunch evaluations, or two or more breakfast evaluations, on the same day.
  • If breakfast in the classroom is implemented, schools will need to complete the breakfast section of the review by observing a few classrooms.
  • Your State Agency Field Specialist will check the completed review forms during an Administrative Review.
  • Keep completed on-site reviews on file at the school for three years plus the current operating year.
  • To access the form and instructions, click here.
  • Want more information? View the On-site Review webinar on inTEAM.
    • Look under the Indiana Department of Education Webinars folder for the On-site Review webinar.
    • Click here to access the inTEAM website.
    • Click here for the inTEAM User Guide.
  • The on-site reviews are due by February 1, 2019. 
  • If you have questions or concerns, please contact your Field Specialist.

Missed a Weekly School Nutrition Newsletter? Click here to access previous newsletters!

Please do not reply directly to this email. If you have any questions or concerns regarding this email, please contact Allie Caito-Sipe at acaito@doe.in.gov, call (317) 232-0849, or toll-free at 1-800-537-1142 ext. 20849. You can also contact Sarah Kenworthy at skenworthy@doe.in.gov, call (317) 232-0857, or toll-free at 1-800-537-1142 ext. 20857.